


tied in history.

by starwilson



Category: Big Bang (Band)
Genre: Alternature Universe, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Infidelity (G-Dragon), M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-07
Updated: 2012-02-07
Packaged: 2017-10-30 18:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/334917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starwilson/pseuds/starwilson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After being betrayed by Jiyong, Seung Ri decides to run away to a small town where he can start anew. Someone helps with that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written in August 2010  
> Inspired by _Near to You_ by A Fine Frenzy.
> 
> I actually loved writing this story. I'll need to come back to it and edit it profusely, though.

_This is where the world ends,_ Seung Ri thought, leaning his head against the steering wheel. Cars flew past his feeble one on the side of the road whose gas tank had not a drop left. This would be the time to call someone, but he had made sure to run the battery on his phone down so he wouldn't get the urge to call _him_. No one was going to come, not for a while.  
  
Maybe that's how it should be. He fled from a broken heart for two hundred miles, and all he had for it was a car that was not going anywhere and a bad case of depression. The broken heart had kept up the whole way down, too.  
  
He was stuck just a few miles before Jinhae, some small sea port town, probably more brute than actual town. It was hopeless.  
  
Seung Ri pushed his face in his hands, giving up and about to cry like the baby he was when someone knocked on his window. Starting, he looked up at the man and saw _him_ with his trademark smirk. How he missed that smirk. He rubbed his eyes a little and looked back up.  
  
His eyes had deceived him.  
  
The man he loved (use to love) was not there, and in place someone else with a bright smile and cat-like eyes. He was just some Good Samaritan who felt generous today. Seung Ri squashed the disappointment he felt at the realization.   
  
_There is no turning back, Seung Ri,_ he thought to himself as he opened the car door. _You knew that when you ran away like the coward you are._  
  
"Are you ok?" The man had asked cheerfully, but with concern.  
  
Seung Ri laughed a little before bursting into tears. He had willed himself not to cry for five hours, so he gave himself a break with this one slip. Better here in front of a stranger and not in front of the man who betrayed him. Distantly, he felt a little pity towards the stranger who had a sobbing mess of a boy to deal with.  
  
"Whoa, whoa," the stranger's voice softened into a soothing tenor. He gripped Seung Ri's elbows tentatively. "Your car is easy to fix. It just needs a little gas. It'll be okay." As if it was the car he was crying about. Seung Ri scoffed a little, but lightened up on his crying finally.  
  
"There, there," the stranger did have a beautiful smile. "I'm Daesung. What's your name?"  
  
"S-Seung Ri," he said, voice a little scratchy from crying. "It's what my family calls me, anyways. My real name is Lee Seung-" he stopped, opened his mouth, and paused again. He tried not to sob, "J-Just call me Seung Ri, please."  
  
Daesung didn't push the subject, "Okay, where are you from?"  
  
"Seoul," Seung Ri said softer.  
  
"That's far away," Daesung's voice didn't change volume, just kept his soothing tone, "No wonder your car is out of gas. Let's go get you some gas, alright?"  
  
"Alright," his mouth tried to smile, but failed miserably, "Sorry for coming apart there. Been a bad day." A bad year is more like it.  
  
Daesung just smiled and led him back to his own car, "It's alright. I know how it feels to run away from something." The man kept looking forward, not seeing Seung Ri stumble. "Do you want to go with me, or do you want to stay with your car, just in case?"  
  
He looked back at his car and could almost see _him_ at the steering wheel, laughing at something Seung Ri said.   
_  
There's no turning back, Seung Ri._  
  
He turned back to look at Daesung and replied, "I'll go with you." He just got a blinding smile in return. Seung Ri squished his aching heart and got into the car.  
  
*  
  
 **One Month After the End of Seung Ri's World**  
  
After spending a week or two in a hotel, getting a new apartment was easy enough. He had no furniture at the moment, but he was working on it. Seung Ri just needed a little time to think and at the same time, it was the one thing he knew he didn't want.  
  
Currently, he was just sitting in the middle of the empty living room staring at his phone. He had not talked to his sister in a while, not when everything happened. Maybe this was the time to call her.  
  
The wallpaper on his phone kept him frozen, though.  
  
It was a picture of them both together, kissing happily in some restaurant. Kwon Jiyong was a man he both respected and adored. Seung Ri knew from the moment he saw him, when the secretary introduced Jiyong as his new boss, that the fashion designer was never going to be dull. Jiyong stayed true to that, that was for sure.  
  
His heart clenched painfully, making him gasp and tears flood his eyes. He silently slid a finger down the face of Jiyong in the picture.  
  
Being an assistant to a famous fashion designer was a dream to Seung Ri. Finding love within that dream made it heaven. Seung Ri remembered the happiness he felt then.  
  
 _So what if he betrayed you?_ he thought to himself bitterly, scrolling through his contacts to find the one he was looking for. _You can't live without him_.   
  
For a year and a half, Kwon Jiyong was all Seung Ri lived for. He felt like someone cut off life-support and he was floundering without help.   
  
Right when he was going to hit the call button, there was a resounding knock on his door.  
  
Seung Ri froze and thought about ignoring it. Once again, there were knocks.  
  
 _Well, that's a sign if I ever heard of one_ , He got up and opened the front door, revealing Daesung holding a couple of bags.  
  
Seemingly undeterred by the blank look Seung Ri was giving him, Daesung smiled and chirruped, "Hey there! I figured it was going to be a little bit before you have your kitchen sorted out and I didn't want you to go hungry!" He gestured to the bags in his hands, "I made you some dinner. Think of it as a welcome to the new town?"  
  
Seung Ri's lips twitched, "You really are too kind. This is too much, though. Surely you can keep this for yourself?"  
  
"I could," Daesung agreed simply, "But I want to give it to you. It that alright?"  
  
Seung Ri bit his lip and nodded, opening the door wider and letting Daesung in.  
  
His phone call would have to wait, then.  
  
*  
  
Jiyong and Seung Ri started out light, their romance. Secret smiles here and there, quick kisses behind closed doors. Jiyong was a private person at the time and Seung Ri didn't mind. A month later, Jiyong introduced Seung Ri as his boyfriend at a party and Seung Ri couldn't have been happier.  
  
He bloomed under Jiyong's attention. He started walking around with his head held high and practically radiated with happiness. His self-esteem grew and it seemed like nothing could break them apart.  
  
Then, Choi Seung Hyun happened.  
  
It started like this:  
  
It was a Tuesday night and the fashion show was in full swing. Jiyong always got a little (read: a lot) bitchy during this time, insulting the models' hair and makeup and rearranging the outfits like they were dolls. Seung Ri was usually coordinating when the models walked on and off and where exactly they went to change.  
  
They had hired a new batch of models, mostly male, and this was the first show they were being put in, so Jiyong was being extra bitchy. It seemed to be a rite of passage, almost. Get through Jiyong, the catwalk, and back without crying and you stayed.  
  
Seung Ri watched as the tallest male model came out of the dressing room and stood in the line, and watched exactly the moment where Jiyong spotted him.  
  
"YOU!" The fashion designer boomed, stomping over to the model. "You're wearing this outfit that _I_ created completely wrong!"  
  
The taller model didn't seem too impressed, Seung Ri noted, "It looks better this way. More _masculine_."  
  
Jiyong gasped in anger, "How dare you! This is my show, and you will wear my outfits the way I want them to be worn!"  
  
As that man's turn came up, he just looked at Jiyong and said, "No," before walking onto the catwalk.  
  
Seung Ri watched as Jiyong fumed in anger. He touched the fashion designer's shoulder, "I can fire him as soon as he gets back, if you want."  
  
Jiyong scoffed and brushed Seung Ri's hand off his shoulder, "Are you kidding? He's the best model we have. It's just annoying that he was right." He turned around and walked off then, leaving Seung Ri's hand still in the air.  
  
Jiyong had never done that before.  
  
Later, Seung Ri figured out that the model's name was Choi Seung Hyun, one of the more famous models in the business. The man had a habit of turning some of the simplest outfits into a spectacular ensemble, which was the reason Jiyong chose him in the first place.  
  
Things stayed the same for a month after the incident. Jiyong still showed him affection, and Seung Ri stayed in his own little world of fashion. Then, Choi Seung Hyun started to become more of his life. He would see the man's jacket, some high-dollar, custom-made jacket, in the closet of Jiyong's apartment as he walked in. Jiyong would stop their conversations when Choi Seung Hyun came around in order to talk to him instead.  
  
Everytime Choi Seung Hyun was around, Jiyong would never introduce Seung Ri as his boyfriend.  
  
He brought the subject up one during dinner, and Jiyong slammed the silverware down and glared at him, "Choi Seung Hyun and I are colleagues. Only colleagues. Do you not trust me?"  
  
Seung Ri replied that he did, but in truth, he wasn't sure anymore. His world was slowly coming apart around him, and he knew that if he would cling to something, it wouldn't completely shatter.  
  
He loved Jiyong. He just didn't know if Jiyong loved him anymore.  
  
Jiyong had taken to insulting him in public to make himself look better. Like, "Look what I decided to date," or, "Isn't he just so cute? Doesn't seem my type, huh?" He took Seung Ri's presents and attention with almost disdain, like it was almost a chore. When Choi Seung Hyun was around, Jiyong ignored him.  
  
The end went something like this:  
  
Seung Ri opened the door to the apartment. He knew Jiyong was home; he practically made Jiyong's schedule. He stepped over some socks and pants. Jiyong must be going through his wardrobe again. It usually turned into a pigsty when it happened.  
  
He set the keys on the kitchen counter and made his way to the bedroom.  
  
Pass a jacket here, a shirt there.  
  
He really should have known.  
  
It was when he stopped outside the door that he heard the noises. Quiet groans and bed squeaks. Despite the protests in his mind, he opened the door.  
  
You can guess what he saw.  
  
The sad thing was that Jiyong didn't even notice him drop the present he was carrying and walk back down the hall, leaving the bedroom door wide open. Later, Jiyong would just think he didn't close it all the way until he almost tripped over the box.  
  
The present? A ring with the word _Faithful_ engraved on the inside.  
  
*   
  
**Three Months After the End of Seung Ri's World**  
  
Seung Ri knew it shouldn't have surprised him, but when he woke up and realized it was the day before Christmas, he panicked. How did it slip his mind that it was Christmastime? He remembered seeing decorations around the town, but for some reason it didn't click in his mind.  
  
Of course, he had been preoccupied for a couple of months now, he doubted that he would've known there was a tsunami if it happened.  
  
He really needed to call his sister.  
  
Wait, he really needed to get a present for his sister. Money wasn't going to cut it this time. Not when he had been ignoring his family for the better part of a year.   
  
That was how he ended up standing in front of a department store staring at the new clothing line ad. He knew he couldn't get away from Jiyong, not within the country, anyways. In Korea, Jiyong's name was as famous as Guccio Gucci's or Georgio Armani's.   
  
It used to take his breath away that he had such a famous man devoted to him. It used to be a dream come true.  
  
He smiled wistfully at the ad. Jiyong would throw a fit for this ad. With a clothing line like his, Jiyong believed that the social elite only should be privy to his designs.  
  
His heart clenched. Despite the matter of time gone, Seung Ri could still think of something related to Jiyong and wanted to cry. He felt weak and stupid.  
  
Now, seeing something as blatant as this, people getting on with their lives (without him) hurt his soul. Was he strong enough to keep going on without these people? He wasn't sure anymore.  
  
He took his phone out, first to take a picture. Maybe he would work up the courage to actually talk to Jiyong. Maybe the man would forgive him for running away.  
  
 _Stop thinking like that, Seung Ri. He betrayed you, not the other way around._  
  
Shaking his head, determined, he raised his phone up and hit the 'Capture' button on the phone-  
  
 _CRASH.  
  
_ He hit the ground, his right arm flaring in pain from where he landed on it. A couple of boxes hit him on the side side, light enough to not do any damage, but enough to be noticeable.   
  
"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry!" He knew that voice. He looked up just in time for Daesung's face to peer around the huge tower of boxes he was carrying. Now that Seung Ri was looking, he could see that the boxes were, in fact, Christmas presents.  
  
"Seung Ri?! Crap, are you okay?! I'm so sorry!" Daesung set his Leaning Tower of Presents down and helped Seung Ri up.  
  
Seung Ri smiled lightly, "Yeah, just got my right arm hurt, but that's OK." Seeing Daesung's worried face, he added, "I don't even feel it anymore. Hey, uh, what are all the presents for? Are you Santa Claus and I didn't know?"  
  
Daesung's blinding smile came back, and he replied, "These presents are for the children in my apartment complex. A lot of the parents can't afford presents during this time, so I help out by getting a gift for them. I also take care of them a lot when their parents are working. It's sorta a side job." He seemed proud of his accomplishment.  
  
Seung Ri was, admittedly, kind of impressed. He started helping Daesung remake his tower.   
  
"Hey! Do you want to help me give out these presents to the kids?" Daesung was excited all of a sudden. Seung Ri wondered if it was contagious.  
  
"I don't know... I need to buy something for my sister," Seung Ri watched as Daesung seemed to drop the present right before it got to the tower, making the whole thing collapse which made Daesung flail as he tried to keep it together.  
  
In the process, he saw marks that were covered up by sleeves on Daesung's arms. In fact, they looked like burn marks.  
  
"What happened to your arms?" Seung Ri asked before he realized it.  
  
"There! The tower has been completed!" Daesung exclaimed, completely ignoring the question and looking over to Seung Ri. He was sure the man heard it, though, from the way Daesung slyly made sure the sleeves stayed down. "Seriously, you should come with me and meet these kids. They're awesome."  
  
Seung Ri opened his mouth to ask his question again and stopped. Daesung respected him enough to not ask of his past, so Seung Ri should pay in kind. He thought about the invitation, and glanced back at the clothing line ad.  
  
He _did_ need to get out more...  
  
Seung Ri looked back at Daesung and smiled, "Why not? To be fair, though, I'm not that good with kids."  
  
Daesung's smile softened into something that made Seung Ri warm, "That's alright. It the thought that counts."  
  
*  
  
"Hey, baby sister. Get my present yet?"  
  
"Yes. It's a shame that you can't be here with us."  
  
"You know our parents wouldn't like that."  
  
"All of this because you liked men."  
  
"Not just men, Hanna. It was the fact that I was public about it"  
  
"But you're not with him anymore!"  
  
"That doesn't matter, you know that."  
  
"Yeah, but... Are you okay, by the way?"  
  
"Yeah, Hanna."  
  
"That doesn't sound OK, Seung Ri. What did he do to make you leave everything behind, again?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"I don't believe that, big brother."  
  
"Look, Hanna, I really don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Well, you should! You left our family to be with this guy who does something that upsets you so much that you leave town! Can you at least tell me where you are?"  
  
"I can't tell you. Not yet. Besides, it was going to happen sooner or later, Hanna. I like men. They'll have to deal with it. They love you, though, Hanna. That's what I'm happy about. So, please, stop making a fuss, let me deal with this, and I will visit you soon."  
  
"...Alright, but you do know you can talk to me about anything, right?"  
  
"...Yeah, I know."  
  
"..."  
  
"Listen, I gotta go, Hanna. Mind yourself, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, okay."  
  
*  
  
 **Five Months After the End of Seung Ri's World**  
  
Valentine's Day.  
  
He really should've seen it coming. Flowers and happiness and love started sprouting since the beginning of February, and for some reason, he didn't realize it.  
  
Now, it was the fourteenth and Seung Ri was frozen, looking at the calendar.  
  
 _Has it really only been five months?_ He thought to himself. _It seems so short for what felt like a year._  
  
It didn't really hit him until he was halfway in the shower, which helped for the crying. He had been doing it less often, almost a rarity, now. He gave himself a break today.  
  
It wasn't really fair that he still held some lingering feelings for a man that betrayed him. That was it. Today, Seung Ri was going to stay inside today. There was no need to go out and ruin other people's romantic moods (even if he really wanted to).  
  
Resolved, Seung Ri was about to make himself some comfort food when his phone rang.  
  
He though about ignoring it, and by the time he got to the phone, the phone stopped. Then, promptly started ringing again. With a sigh, he flipped the cellphone open, "Hello?"  
  
"Seung Ri! Good morning!" Daesung exclaimed, sounding slightly surprised.  
  
"Did you call the wrong number?"  
  
"Well, no, I- This is Seung Ri, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then, I didn't! I just didn't expect you to pick up the phone so soon."  
  
Seung Ri raised an eyebrow before realizing Daesung couldn't see it, "Was I not supposed to?"  
  
"No!" Daesung laughed. "I just figured you were going to stare at the phone for a few more calls before answering."  
  
He furrowed his brow. How did this guy know him so well?  
  
"Anyways," Daesung went on. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with the kids and me for the day. Their parents wanted to go on dates and you seemed to like them well enough last time."  
  
Seung Ri hesitated. He really did want to stay in, but the kids were actually fun to hang out with last time, and Daesung seemed to become a child again with them. It was really quite endearing, "I don't know... I planned on staying in tonight."  
  
"You're kidding, right? That is no way to spend today! Have you seen how nice it is outside?!" Daesung exclaimed, clearly sounding offended.  
  
 _Have you seen how romantic it is outside?_ Seung Ri thought but kept to himself. He instead replied, "It's also one of the craziest days of the year."  
  
"Exactly!" Daesung probably wasn't listening. "That's why you have to come over and hang out with us! C'mon, I promise it will make you feel better."  
  
Seung Ri sighed, "Alright, but I'm going to be a mood spoiler. I've been called that many times."  
  
"No worse than me," Daesung quipped. "See you in an hour!"  
  
That was how Seung Ri spent Valentine's Day single, playing around with kids half his age. It was quite more fun than he realized. If was being truly honest, it was his favorite Valentine's D-  
  
Let's not get too far ahead, yet.  
  
Slowly but surely, parents came back for their kids. As Seung Ri watched Daesung talk with his parents, he noticed that the burn marks he saw on Daesung's arms at Christmas time were also on the back of his neck where the shirt didn't cover. He could guess that the man probably had more on the rest of his back.  
  
Daesung turned around then and caught Seung Ri staring, and his eyes became blank, without emotion suddenly. It was a familiar look, only on Seung Ri's face. Seung Ri opened his mouth to ask the question, but Daesung interrupted him, "We all have our secrets."  
  
The man then smiled, "But I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." He turned to greet the next set of parents.  
  
Seung Ri blinked. He hadn't realized that he never once told anyone, hell, never even said aloud what happened. He looked up at Daesung sending the last kid home before looking at him. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times.  
  
He couldn't, not yet. He was close, but he wasn't there, yet.  
  
Daesung's smile softened and asked, "Is it okay if I walk you home?"  
  
Seung Ri smiled slightly in return, "Yeah, okay."  
  
It took quicker than normal to get to his apartment, or so it seemed to Seung Ri. Daesung kept up the conversation, as usual, but Seung Ri felt more relaxed than he had in a while.  
  
He got to the door of his apartment and smiled happily to Daesung, "Thanks, you know, for the awesome day. I didn't expect to have a good day."  
  
Daesung opened his mouth to reply when Seung Ri's phone rang, who instantly froze.  
  
♪ _This love has taken its hold on me..._ ♪  
  
He knew that ringtone.  
  
That was Jiyong's ringtone.  
  
His heart beat harder and it felt as if it was going to explode. He didn't know what to do. He was standing there like an idiot with his hand in his jacket pocket where the phone was. He just couldn't figure out what to do next.   
  
The phone turned silent, and it was like the switch came back on. He looked at Daesung right when it started ringing again.  
  
 _One time was enough,_ Seung Ri thought as he started to tear up. _Please don't let me cry in front of this man again.  
  
_ He took out his phone and looked at it, confirming the caller. Suddenly, he watched as one hand grabbed his wrist, pushing the ignore button. Seung Ri looked up just as a pair of lips claimed his own.  
  
As far as kisses went, it was pretty innocent. It was chaste, soft, gentle, sweet. For one second, Seung Ri forgot where he was and what was happening and just let himself be.  
  
It was a nice feeling.  
  
It was a familiar feeling. Like meeting a long-lost friend.  
  
Daesung pulled back slowly, and Seung Ri didn't want to open his eyes and remember real life. He heard a chuckle and a kiss was placed on his forehead, just as gentle.  
  
He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Daesung curiously. Daesung was looking at him with such affection, it made his heart clench and a warmth settle inside of him.  
  
"It looked like you really needed that," Daesung explained softly.  
  
"Oh," Seung Ri eloquently replied.  
  
"See you later," Daesung whispered and finally let go of Seung Ri's wrist before walking away.  
  
"Yeah, alright," Seung Ri dazedly said to the air and turned around, going into the apartment.  
  
He forgot that Jiyong even called until the next morning.  
  
*  
  
On Jiyong's desk, right by his computer, is where everyone puts his mail. That way, he sees it and (hopefully) does something about it.  
  
This day, among the fashion invitations and distributing bills, laid an envelope that holds a picture. This picture was slightly blurry, showing an ad for his clothing line in a regular department store. It held no return address, but Jiyong could figure out who it was when the back of the picture, in neat handwriting, was the phrase, "Fuck you."  
  
*   
  
**Seven Months After the End of Seung Ri's World**  
  
One of the good things about this whole ordeal, Seung Ri supposed, was that in order to keep his mind off of Jiyong, he had taken up jogging. Well, more like re-taken it up. He would get up in the mornings and go on runs with Jiyong, and no matter what memories came with it, jogging always calmed him down.  
  
In Jinhae, they had a park that he ran through in the mornings, if nothing more than to take a shortcut back to his apartment complex. It was quite beautiful and had a straight-stretch walkway that people didn't use, so it was nice.  
  
Jogging cleared his mind, but it also seemed to make Seung Ri think calmly. It was a nice change to the frenetic pace his brain seemed to set.  
  
He hadn't thought about Jiyong for at least a month. Not through jogging or sleeping or remembering. He just seemed to stop thinking about him. Even now, Jiyong's name didn't sweep him into a wave of depression. It made him slightly sad, but even then that will soon go away.  
  
The revelation wasn't huge, but it did make him stop jogging for a little bit.  
  
Seung Ri's mind took in that they were towards the end of the straight-stretch, coming into view with people again. He knew from memory that there was going to be a playground on the left and the start of the sea port on the right.  
  
 _I feel like I should celebrate_ , Seung Ri thought. _But how do you celebrate being free?_  
  
He glanced over at the playground out of habit and saw a familiar group of kids. He looked around and soon confirmed his thought when he spotted Daesung not too far away on a bench.  
  
With a slightly happier stride, Seung Ri strolled and plopped down beside Daesung, "Taking the kids out, today?"  
  
Daesung smiled, "How could I not? Springtime is beautiful to Jinhae. It would be a sin to keep them inside."  
  
Seung Ri chuckled, "Yeah, you're right about that. I never remember it being so green in Seoul, that's for sure."  
  
They chatted amicably for a little longer before settling into a comfortable silence, watching the kids play.  
  
Then, out of no where, Seung Ri blurted out, "I was cheated on by the man who I loved with all of my heart."  
  
He didn't see Daesung tense, but knew he was listening carefully all the same.  
  
Seung Ri went on, "It wasn't like I didn't even know, either. All the signs were there, I just didn't want to believe it. I was so hopelessly in love with a man I knew was going to hurt me, and I thought I could change things before it got too bad. I gave up my family to be with this man, not that he knew it, and I finally caught him cheating on me the day I was going to propose."  
  
He didn't feel as depressed as he thought he was going to be, "And I just feel so stupid now for running as far I did, but I don't regret it. It's just-- my whole world stopped and fell apart right in front of me and I couldn't understand why no one else's did, too."  
  
He didn't feel a weight being lifted off his chest like in the books, but he did feel lighter, somehow. The first time he tells his sob story out loud, he had to be over the guy.  
  
There was a silence for a little while and Seung Ri was getting fidgety before Daesung sighed and started talking, "About two years before you got here, I was living in a town on the outskirts of Seoul. I was making food for my older sister because she had gotten home from work and I accidentally started a fire. It had gotten so bad that the house burned down with my sister in it."  
  
Seung Ri's heart felt like ice, and Daesung's face twisted into a bitter smile, not looking at Seung Ri, "I was frantic and went back in to save her, but I got caught under a wooden board and the firemen saved me just in time. My sister was in the bathroom in the middle of the house. She didn't stand a chance."   
  
Seung Ri watched as the man closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths before continuing, "After they treated my wounds, I couldn't stand to look at my parents and I ran away. It probably wasn't the best thing, having my parents lose both of their children that night, but I had to leave. I ended up stranded here and the locals took me in. I started to help the children," Daesung smiled, slightly more genuine. "It started as a way to help repent for what I've done, but children have a way of showing you the best parts of yourself, not the bad. I grew to love them."  
  
Seung Ri didn't know what to say in response. Daesung continued, "When I saw you on the side of the road that day, I knew you were a runner like me. I wanted to make you understand that you weren't alone, not here." Daesung smiled at him, almost hopefully, "Did I do a good job?"  
  
Seung Ri's heart expanded and it felt like he couldn't breathe. He felt happy and scared and so larger-than-life all of a sudden.  
  
He cleared his throat and took a chance, "Would you like to go to dinner with me, this week? Like, a date?"  
  
Daesung's answering grin made everything worth it.


	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being away for so long, Seung Ri comes back to Seoul with Daesung for a couple of days. As luck would have it, he would meet Jiyong again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written in September 2010.

Seoul.  
  
Despite his efforts to not think about the city at all, Seung Ri has to admit that he really missed it. The fast pace of life along with the rich culture he found here was almost soothing. If felt like he belonged among the hoard of people making their living in a bustling city. It wasn’t until he went to Jinhae that he noticed how hectic his life really was because of this.  
  
He loved it, though. Seoul was a place that twisted and confused a person until he or she reveled in the discord. He knew now that it was just a place he held in his memories. It no longer held such hypnotism over him, and Seung Ri knew in his heart that whatever nostalgia he felt from seeing the city was just that, nostalgia.  
  
Everything became better in memories. Any hurt he felt was dimmed with time, a fine layer of dust coating the pain he used to felt when just thinking of the city and what happened in this city. A year later, and he was completely healed of the pain he once felt.  
  
Slipping his hand into the man’s hand beside him, Seung Ri knew that he didn’t do it by himself. He looked over to Daesung, smiling happily, “So, where do you want to go first? I just need to buy something for my sister at the store up ahead, but then we’re completely free until tonight.”  
  
Daesung knocked his shoulder against Seung Ri’s gently, “Well, I guess we can go and get something to snack on before doing some sight-seeing. I never really did any tourism here despite living so close. Have any place in mind?”  
  
Seung Ri laughed softly, “I’m sure I can think of something.” He pulled Daesung into the store with him. It was just a regular department store, but Seung Ri remembered from the conversations from his sister that she wanted a certain scarf from here. He just hoped that she hadn’t bought it herself yet.  
  
“Hm,” Daesung said thoughtfully. “Since we’re here, I think I’m going to see how much a pair of shoes cost here. Mine are getting a little worn.”  
  
“Alright, then,” Seung Ri replied, untangling his hand from Daesung’s. He smiled toward his boyfriend, “I’ll meet you over there after I grab the scarf.”  
  
Daesung nodded back at him as he left for the shoes’ aisle. Seung Ri waved lightly and turned toward the scarf section. It wasn’t far away, and Seung Ri could see the scarf clearly from the way his sister described it. He had to admit, it was quite the scarf. It subtly changed colors while still looking vibrant. Definitely great for an autumn scarf.  
  
Even after a year of being out of the fashion business, Seung Ri still couldn’t help thinking about how the new clothes fitted the season.  
  
Right when he stopped in front of it and grabbed it from the rack, someone else put his hand on the scarf. Trailing up the arm, Seung Ri froze slightly at the man beside him.  
  
In this state of shock, he blurted out, “I thought you never went to department stores.”  
  
Jiyong blinked back, eyes slightly wide, “Seung Ri? You’re back in Seoul?”  
  
“Obviously,” Seung Ri replied curtly, trying to gently pull the scarf from Jiyong’s grasp. “I came back up to visit my sister. She’s been having a rough time with school lately.”  
  
Jiyong tightened his grasp on the scarf, “I’ve called you, you know. Seung Hyun left a couple of months after your sudden departure.”  
  
Seung Ri raised an eyebrow, “What, did you cheat on him, too?” He felt guilty immediately afterwards when Jiyong flinched.  
  
“No,” Jiyong said tersely. “I broke up with him when I realized that he didn’t give me the happiness that you did. He left for a new company afterwards.” He was looking at Seung Ri intensely, but Seung Ri didn’t know what to think of it.  
  
“Well, I’m sorry that didn’t work out for you,” Seung Ri said, letting go of the scarf and grabbing another from the rack.  
  
“Are you going to be here for long?” Jiyong pressed on, resting his hand on Seung Ri’s elbow. Without thinking, Seung Ri shrugged it off. “Maybe we can get some coffee. I can tell you all about how my new assistant sucks.”  
  
Seung Ri shook his head, “I’m only here for a couple of days. My-“  
  
“That’s long enough!” Jiyong exclaimed, looking a little excited. “I have a fashion show tomorrow night, actually. You can come and show the new assistant how to really do it. Or you can just hang out with me while I freak out like I usually do. Your sister can come, too.”  
  
Seung Ri was a little flustered, stepping slightly back while Jiyong inched forward. He was highly uncomfortable, “Actually, I think I’m just going-“  
  
“Seung Ri, why aren’t you saying yes?” Jiyong didn’t give him time to answer, looking a little annoyed. “I am practically begging you to come back, which is something I never do. Why aren’t you accepting my offer?”  
  
“Because he’s already moved on,” Daesung interjected sternly, wrapping an arm around Seung Ri’s shoulder. As soon as his arm touched Seung Ri’s shoulder, he relaxed. Seung Ri looked up at Daesung, relieved.  
  
“Did you find your pair of shoes?” Seung Ri asked, already leaning into Daesung’s warmth.  
  
Daesung stopped glaring at the now pale Jiyong to smile warmly at Seung Ri, “Nah. None of them really appealed to me.”  
  
Seung Ri pursed his lips, “Should we go to another store to find you some?”  
  
Daesung shook his head, shrugging slightly, “I’ll just find some when we get back home.”  
  
“Alright, then,” Seung Ri smiled, leaning up and kissing Daesung quickly. “I found the scarf.”  
  
“You have a boyfriend?” Jiyong interrupted their conversation, sounding quite incredulous. Seung Ri had forgot he was even there.  
  
He stared at Jiyong, a little confused, “Yes.”  
  
“But- But-“ Jiyong stammered. “You didn’t even wait, did you? Just left town and got a new boyfriend to forget about me?”  
  
Daesung’s grip tightened slightly on his shoulder, and Seung Ri grew furious. “That is rich, coming from the man who cheated on me.”  
  
Jiyong’s mouth opened, but Seung Ri wasn’t having it. “No, you listen here. I was heartbroken. Like, almost suicidal heartbroken. You ripped my world to pieces. I left town to forget about you, but I didn’t start dating. In fact, I’m pretty sure I would’ve became anti-social had it not been for Daesung helping me out of the hole you put me in. We didn’t start dating until recently.”  
  
Jiyong’s mouth closed again, taking a step back. Seung Ri wrapped an arm around Daesung’s waist, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to buy this scarf before Daesung and I leave. Goodbye."  
  
And without further ado, Seung Ri turned and lead Daesung away from the frozen Jiyong.  
  
Once they had paid for the scarf and left the store, Seung Ri relaxed fully and slumped against Daesung’s side, “Sorry you had to deal with that.”  
  
Daesung smiled slightly, rubbing the tension away from between Seung Ri’s shoulder blades, “But I didn’t have to deal with anything. You dealt with it all.”  
  
Against Daesung’s shoulder, Seung Ri slowly smiled, “Let’s get something to eat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sappy.


End file.
